Dwarven Army
((WIP)) The Dwarven Army is by far one of the most formidable armies in the entirety of Orbis. The Dwarven Army is the most technologically advanced army, and one of the largest in the world. The Dwarven Army is currently led by General Gariggs Hammerbrow. History of the Army The Dwarven Army was first formed by weapons owners in the first hold of Khaz Zul after the eruption of Grubal-Gor-Gorok- the fungus volcano, which spilled out the first Goblinoids, as the rune-wall had spilled out the first Dwarves. The army was formed at around -3000, in an attempt to create an able defense force. The armorsmiths of Khaz Zul were forced to work twice as hard to supply both the miners with equipment and the newly formed soldiers with armor. The army was made up of fifty men in -3000, who were all skilled in other trades, and formed a militia-like defense force. The first conflict the Dwarven military fought in was the battle of Goblinoid. Goblinoid Pass was an area that led into the Fungus-Volcano, which was still active. Goblinoids were expanding in the Goblinoid Pass area, and after several miners were found barbarically smashed to bits with blunt objects, the fifty militiamen were sent forward to guard the pass from any of the threats that it could yield. The militiamen held their ground, despite being vastly outnumbered by the Goblinoid army, which at the time consisted of the majority of the population, which was wired towards expansion and fighting. The Goblinoids had developed spears and totem poles. The Goblinoids were unable to pass the militiamen, but forty six of the fifty men perished. In order to make up for the losses, the Dwarves prayed to their ancestors and asked them to bless them with a larger population. The ancestors complied and a larger spawn of stronger Dwarves was given. These new Dwarves were geared towards battle, as it was clear the strife between the Goblinoids and the Dwarves was far from over. The dwarven military was expanded, with the four veterans serving as the first four generals, and the remaining warriors spawned as the ground soldiers. The four generals led each one fourth of the army, which would be divided across the hold of Khaz Zul. Within several months, the number of able-bodied Dwarves in the military had increased from four to nearly one thousand. The dwarven military's second battle was the Second Battle of Goblinoid Pass, during which several armies of Goblinoids advanced onto the ranks of the Dwarves. The Goblinoids too had increased in number, and to counter the stronger dwarven soldiers, had evolved into a new kind of goblinoid- the trolls. The trolls were designed to deal large amounts of shock damage, take in a large amount of damage, and wreak havoc across enemy lines. The dwarven warriors were disciplined however, taught well by the four veteran generals. The four generals were: Hjalti Stoutbeard, Skuli Ironaxe, Svanr Firegem, and Vilgeir Frostpike. Vilgeir Frostpike was stationed to guard the northern pass of Khaz Zul, Svanr Firegem managed the defense of the southern area, where the miners warrens were located, along with many of the forges, Skuli Ironaxe managed the defense of the interior of the hold, specifically around the commons, and Hjalti Stoutbeard managed the war against the Goblinoids. Hjalti's army of two hundred and fifty combated an army of nearly twice its size- four hundred and seventy five Goblinoids marched upon Khaz Zul during the second battle of Goblinoid Pass. The battle raged on for several days, as the Dwarves held their ground, and the Goblinoids sent expansive suicide waves forward, albeit progressively. The Dwarves were known for their usage of a structured and disciplined strategy, differing themselves with the disorganized and chaos that was the epitome of the Goblinoid tactical structure. The Second Battle of Goblinoid Pass was once more won by the Dwarves, and Hjalti Stoutbeard himself was known to have been in the first row of fighters, and chalked up nearly fifty Goblinoid kills during the battle, the most of any of the warriors in the battle. The military under General Stoutbeard remained virtually intact, due to the fact his vanguard was made up of some of the most ferocious warriors in the entire stronghold, who struck fear into the hearts of the goblins- the cannon fodder of the Goblinoids. Drom Historical Conflicts Technology The Dwarven Army is the most technologically advanced army in the entire world of Orbis. The Dwarven Army makes use of technologies such as railway, gyrocopters, steam tanks, and blackpowder weaponry. The technology utilized by the Dwarven Army is created by the Engineers Guild, centered in the hold of Khaz Bazad. Railway Railway technology is implemented by the Dwarven Army for the transporation of soldiers form one area to another. Railways are rarely used above ground, as to protect them from being taken by foes with the knowledge of engineering, such as the Dark Dwarfs. Railway technology was first fielded in +1600, during the War for Khaz Drakk. Engineers from Khaz Bazad created a tunnel system linking the two holds to relieve the hold from perpetual siege by Dragonback Orcs. Railways are not invulnerable technologies however, and are often the subject of Thrall and Dark Dwarfen sabotage attacks. Furthermore, railway lines can be damaged by the environment they are around. A simple fracture in the rail can delay the advance of an army group for months. The railway is not a perfect technology, although it has helped significantly in the past. Railway lines currently connected the "Alliance of Four"- the five major dwarven holds. These four are Khaz Nord, Khaz Glorin, Khaz Bazad, and Khaz Drakk. Further rail lines break off from the main rail line, connecting other smaller holds such as Khaz Kragg and some rails are even known to travel in the mountains, connecting to settlements such as Zundrbar and Zundrkragg. Blackpowder Weaponry Firearms Firearms are the third most common dwarven weapon found on the battlefield after axes and hammers. The Engineers Guild has no sanctions on the creation of firearms, and thus firearms are usually custom built by an engineer in the local area. This means that firearms will differ in shape, size, and capabilites throughout the Kingdom of the Dwarves. Firearms utilized are mainly for long range combat, however in the case of the enemy coming close towards the line of rifles, a bayonet is fixed onto most rifles. Those who utilize firearms on the battlefield are often under the name, "Gunners," and will have separate divisions from there. These divisions include: Musketeer, Shotgunner, Blunderbusser, Sniper, Rifleman, and Carbiner. Artillery Artillery is commonly used on the battlefield in the system of combined arms, specifically in the military of the hold of Khaz Bazad. In +1675, during the Sixteenth Ratway War, Mountain King Hjulgorn Fusebeard pioneered the tactic with his General- Kramthrum Battlebeard. Hjulgorn's strategy involved securing the high ground of Vag Torum, a settlement of five thousand in the mountains around Khaz Bazad. Upon securing the high ground, artillery was wheeled in along with riflemen and cavalry. The combination of these three factors was able to defeat the army of nearly ten thousand Thrall that marched upon the city. Artillery to this day is varied, although all of the pieces are based around cannon technology, created by Grunthorm Cannonfuse. Notable cannons include the Dragonbreath Cannon, which fires out rounds containing fire runes and dragon fire glands, which are known to explode upon impact, creating a deadly pyrestorm. Other cannons include the Gatling Gun and the Organ Gun, also known as the Eight Barrel Cannon. Gyrocopters Gyrocopters are commonly fielded as scouts and aerial assault flyers. Gyrocopters were first created by Ormiggs Gyrobeard. Gyrocopters are powered by a simple steam engine, although they also have automatic weapons powered by more complex steam engines. The first gyrocopters were created for civilian use, although the Mountain King of Khaz Bazad- Rotarus Fuseore sought to create a militarized version for scouting purposes. Rotarus created a circle of engineers known as the Gyro Council, which consisted of six other notable dwarven engineers. Only the names of two engineers are still remembered in the records of long ago, who are Orimthrum Slatebeard and Magnus Deepore. The group created a lighter version of the gyrocopter, and steadily civilians lost interest in using the gyrocopter. Engineers tend to mainly keep a "private gyrocopter," as their primary mode of transport. The militarization of the Gyrocopter continued around fifty years later, under the successor to Rotarus, Tyrom Fusestone. Tyrom designed the steam powered cannons on the gyrocopter with the aid of his younger brother- Grenrum. Steam Tanks Steam Tanks are a newly designed vehicle that is a combination of technologies used. The Steam Tank has a steam engine very different from that of the gyrocopter. While the steam engine of the gyrocopter turns turbines, the steam engine of the steam tank turns four wheels, which propels forward an armored capsule, forged from iron or steel depending on the location, that can weigh anywhere from one and a half tons to three tons. Steam Tanks also have very large cannons, and will often have organ guns. Steam Tanks are manned by six to ten individuals, the majority of whom are managers of the system of guns on the tank. Experimental Technologies Zeppelins/Airships The techonology of Airships has only been recently invented. Thus, no regiments of the Dwarven Army have implemented it yet, however several squads of engineers have been working on preparing a zeppelin that is ready for war. There are believed to be a total of ten airships in existence. Three are located in the Southlands with the Vurulir Army, focused on reconnecting the lost holds of Khaz Arg and Khaz Zul with Khaz Drakk. Three are located in the Northlands with the Vereldur Army, focused on reconnecting with the dwarven settlements in the west. One is used by the Mountain King of Khaz Bazad and guildmaster of the Engineers Guild, Thorgrim Fusehammer. One is currently under outfitting by the Aviators of the Engineers Guild in the depths of Khaz Bazad, and two more are considered "lost" in the West, although they have reconnected with the Saksen colony of Hermaanspoort. Rune-Magic Military Traditions Commanders Ranks Regiments Write the second section of your page here. Category:Military Forces Category:Dwarves